Glee Season 3
by AnimaGM
Summary: It's senior year for the Glee club and they are fresh off of a second place victory at Nationals. Second place does not mean first and Rachel is looking to make this year the one that counts. The Glee club requires new students to continue the tradition.


**Title: **GleeSeason 3, Episode 1: On My Own**  
Author: **serenitygrant**  
Rating: **M (dealing with mature themes like depression, self-mutilation, attempted suicide, swearing, and may have adult scenes later on).**  
Length: **13,279 **  
Spoilers: **All of Glee. It will continue to use things from the show as it airs.**  
Summary: **It's senior year for the Glee club and they are fresh off of a second place victory at Nationals. Second place does not mean first and Rachel is looking to make this year the one that counts. The Glee club requires new students to continue the tradition once the others graduate and auditions are being held to make New Directions even better than it has been previously. While some of the past has been placed behind them, sometimes the past must be dealt with before the present can be fully enjoyed.**  
Pairing: **Finn/Rachel, Brittany/Santana, Tina/Mike, Quinn/OC, eventual Quinn/Rachel  
**Author's Note:** I'm trying to have the season start off as close to how season 2 ends as possible. I want to try to highlight each character equally and give them all a voice like the show does (or in some cases, better than the show does). This will be written episode by episode (so there will be 22 chapters) and I'm not sure yet if I will end season 3 at graduation or before then to start a season 4, depending on the response I get.

A special thank you to my beta, lynsiscrazy.

I am trying to use four to five songs per episode, much like in the show; however, I need some help because while I do have a wide knowledge of music, sometimes fitting the right song to the right character is difficult. I'm hoping some of you will suggest songs to me to help me get each episode moving. I can even do a tribute episode if you think of a good band/artist (I want songs not already on the show, for obvious reasons).

The songs that I used in this episode are as follows:

Fame (2009) – Naturi Naughton  
Goodbye to You – Michelle Branch  
Billie Jean – Michael Jackson  
Don't Let Me Get Me – P!nk

Today was the beginning of the end. Not an unpleasant end, however. It was the first day of senior year for Rachel Berry. She would be completing her high school career while moving on to bigger and better things once the school term was finished. She could already see the glitz and glamour of Broadway ahead of her. New York City would never know what hit it. The small brunette smiled as she opened the doors to William McKinley High, her home away from home for the past three years. The building was filled with memories both good and bad, but Rachel was happy to be starting the year off on a positive note. Though New Directions had not taken home the coveted first place trophy from Nationals last year, they had placed second and easily gained enough favor from Principal Figgins to be allowed another year.

The effervescent girl was also quite content to be starting the year off in a steady and strong relationship with her loving boyfriend, Finn Hudson. They had gone through a myriad of ups and downs the previous year with mistakes made on both their parts, but she was happy to be entering into her final year of high school in a healthy, positive relationship. She had still been unable to give Finn what he had so easily given to Santana, but after coming to an understanding with each other over all of their previous drama, Finn was content to just be with her and had yet to pressure her into anything. Rachel really couldn't ask for a better way to start the school year and she moved down the hallway with a bright smile on her face. She was so content and excited to begin the year with her fellow Glee club teammates, she didn't even see the icy beverage until her vision was blocked and the heavy stinging in her eyes along with the cold seeping into her bones let her know that some things would never change.

She stood frozen for a second (the irony of that thought was not lost on the teen), her entire face and chest covered in icy blue corn syrup. Shaking herself out of her reverie, Rachel sighed and stomped towards the nearest bathroom. Perhaps the year wasn't starting on a _completely_ positive note. However, she was Rachel Berry. These kinds of things would be rectified before the year was done. After all, when Rachel Berry set her mind to something she was like a freight train barreling down the tracks, stopping for no obstacle. This was _her_ year.

* * *

Quinn took a deep breath as she exited her car. It was senior year and she was determined to finish high school with as little drama as possible. After everything that had happened with Sam and Finn the previous school year, she was happy to just stay independent. The blonde had other things to focus on, especially since she was no longer head cheerleader. While she was guaranteed a scholarship for being on the nationally acclaimed team, she had to continue to work extra hard to keep her marks high enough to stay on the honor roll. No longer being a Cheerio had not diminished her popularity. Quinn, along with Santana and Brittany, had still managed to retain her reputation. Many of the students at McKinley had actually been impressed at the three girls standing up to Coach Sylvester. There was a newfound sense of respect from the student body at the high school.

The blonde teen gracefully entered the halls of the high school, ready to face the school year with her head held high. Last year she had spent half her time attempting to regain her position within the school hierarchy, only to realize that it was exactly the opposite of what she truly wanted for herself. The second half of the year, she had quit the Cheerios, ended her relationship, and focused on things that really mattered to her. She had attempted to come to terms with her decision to give up Beth. Quinn had tried for so long to block out any memory of the child that she had given up, but she quickly realized how unhealthy that was. She didn't want to become like her father, worried about nothing but appearances nor did she want to become like her mother drowning her troubles in alcohol. After all, that was exactly how she found herself in the position of giving up her daughter in the first place.

It was going to be a long road, but she was slowly dealing with many of the issues she had been raised to simply accept. While she would always display the natural Fabray pride, she was working through some of the things in her life that she desperately wished to change before it was too late. That was why she was happy to be starting the year single, free from the confines of a relationship and the inevitable drama it entails. It would be nice to only have Glee and school work to think about, giving her plenty of time to focus on herself.

Quinn was busy grabbing books from her locker when she heard the telltale sound of a slushy being delivered to some poor, unfortunate soul. She turned in time to witness Rachel Berry, resident Glee diva, covered in blue ice. The other girl seemed shocked for a moment before storming off to the nearest washroom. She was by no means a friend to the other girl, but the blonde frowned at the display of cruelty by the jock. She no longer wanted to be that person. She wouldn't voice her thoughts out loud, but she held a begrudging respect for the tiny brunette. With a sigh, Quinn turned back to close her locker while noticing Santana swaggering over to greet her. The blonde knew to prepare herself for a battle of wits as she began to make her way to first period.

* * *

One of her favorite pastimes was people watching. It was fun to observe others in their most natural state. You could gain so much insight into another person by picking up on the subtleties of their actions. Starting senior year at another new school was going to be tough, but nothing she couldn't handle. Aeryn Campbell was nothing if not resourceful and she'd find a way to blend in and survive the year before heading off to the college of her choice. It was pretty easy to fly under the radar if you didn't do anything to call attention to yourself. She just needed to try to make it through this year without another transfer. Things had to go right this time.

Aeryn narrowed her eyes as she saw a smaller girl get doused with a slushy beverage from the local 7-11. She watched as the jocks high-fived each other and began to walk away as the girl stood there for a minute before rushing off down the hall. The redhead stood up from her position leaning against the lockers and stalked off after the jocks. She hated bullying and she'd never encountered people throwing frozen beverages on other people at any of her old high schools. The other girl must have been half the size of the stooges in front of her and yet, they felt the need to pick on her.

Once she was close enough to the perpetrator, she lunged grabbing him by the back of his letterman and slamming him into the lockers beside them. She slammed a foot into his knee to make him buckle and quickly placed her thumbs on the pressure points on the side of his neck just below his jaw. She applied a slight pressure making the boy cry out and causing a crowd to fill the hallway.

"What the fuck?" the jock cried out as another wave of pain jolted down his body from the pressure to his neck.

"What's your name, asshole?" Aeryn looked up as she saw his friend try to close the distance. "Move and he pays the price." The other boy backed off at her challenge.

"I'm Azimio Adams you stupid bitch and you're going to regret this!" he screeched again as the pressure increased and subsided, like the ebb and flow of the ocean waves.

"I really doubt that. You see, I saw what you did to that girl in the other hallway and it really pissed me off. I don't generally get along well with people like you and I have no problem sticking up for those who need it. You are going to go apologize to that girl and you aren't going to do that to another student again. Are we clear?" she hissed her commands through her teeth, waiting for his answer.

Feeling the thumbs pressing against his neck once more, Azimio was quick to answer. "Fine, fine! I'll apologize to the midget. Happy?"

"Very. Also, you can be a dear and not tell her I sent you," Aeryn smirked and released the boy, backing away. "I'll know if you've done what I asked or not. Don't make this a habit for me. I hate wasting my time," she frowned and crossed her arms, one eyebrow raised to make her point.

Azmio stood up and turned on the girl. "Imma-" His words were cut off as Coach Beiste came through the crowd and looked at the two boys and then to the angry redhead.

"Is something going on here?" the large woman narrowed her eyes at the two parties.

"Of course not. I was just asking Azimio here how to get to my first class and he was giving me directions, right?" Aeryn smirked at the football player as if to see if he would challenge her words.

"Yeah, Coach. Nothing's goin' on. We're done now," Azimio shrugged and turned to walk away.

Coach Beiste kept an eye on the boys as they walked away and the crowd began to disperse and turned to the girl to get the real story, but the spunky redhead was already making her way back down the other hall. Beiste shook her head and got the rest of the students to go back to their own business, turning back down the hall she came from.

Aeryn kept her head down and sighed as she walked towards first period. Looks like blending in this year just wasn't in the cards.

Jacob was ready to video blog all of the latest gossip that was happening around McKinley, especially any juicy news that might have happened during the two long months of summer vacation. His first interviewee was going to be the woman in the forefront of all of his wildest dreams, Rachel Berry. He finished the short introduction to the video as his AV club friend stood behind the camera. The afro-haired boy had seen the short brunette dart into the bathroom after the first slushy facial of the school year and was currently awaiting her appearance. It was about fifteen minutes later when his subject emerged and he quickly converged on the target.

"So, Rachel, I heard you and the giant are back together and still going strong even after the Glee club's terrible loss at Nationals last year. Have you finally forgiven him for his past indiscretions?" Jacob stared wide-eyed at the diva hoping to get any piece of information that he could.

"I don't know what you've heard, Jacob, but Finn and I are perfectly happy together. What is in the past will stay there. We spent our time at Nationals and this summer being completely open and honest with each other about our goals and feelings in this relationship and I think things are going quite pleasantly," Rachel huffed and began power walking away from the creepy boy. She spotted Finn in the distance and moved to catch up to him.

"So you've forgiven him enough to seal the deal and make everything official then?" the curly-haired boy pushed the issue, testing the waters of potentially major school gossip.

"I don't think that is any of your business!" Rachel turned and glared at Jacob, crossing her arms defensively.

Finn walked up to his girlfriend and slung an arm over her shoulder in a gesture of protection. "What's up, Rach? Is he bothering you?" the tall boy looked between Jacob and Rachel.

"I was just asking my darling Rachel here the strength of your relationship after all of the drama of last year plus New Directions' epic loss at Nationals. Would you say the defeat has put a strain on things?" the Jewish boy needed to push the boundaries to get anything worth blogging.

"Rach and I are doing great. I mean, yeah she can talk a lot and gets really competitive about Glee stuff, but it wasn't her fault we lost last year," Finn shrugged, wondering if he shouldn't have said that stuff about his girlfriend's verbosity.

"Thank you, Finn," the brunette nodded and fixed Jacob with a determined look. "We may have lost at Nationals, but we still received second place and while I still think the judging was rigged, we have been given another opportunity to shine this year. I have a whole new list of ideas that I have been working on all summer and I will be pleased to showcase them to the club this afternoon."

With that final comment, the diva whipped around and stalked off. Her bewildered boyfriend stood confused for a moment before shrugging and chasing after her with a dopey grin.

Jacob moved onto his next targets: Quinn, Santana, and Brittany. The girls were no longer cheerleaders, but they still managed to continue as the school's most popular girls. Even after Santana and Brittany became an official couple after months of hardship. The guys from the football team and the rest of the Glee club rallied around them with acceptance. The fact that Santana scared everyone senseless also helped keep the girls on top of the social pyramid. As the three girls conversed by some lockers, Jacob quickly approached them and began to fire off his questions.

"You've been single for quite a while now since things fizzled out with both Sam and Finn last year, Ms. Fabray. Have you decided to join the Sapphic persuasion alongside your fellow ex-cheerleaders after all the heartache?" he thrust the microphone out to get the scoop.

"You're gross, Jewfro," Quinn made a disgusted noise and frowned at him. "Sam and I went into our relationship for the wrongs reasons in the first place and we're friends. As for Finn, he's always felt something for Berry. I'm not upset at him for it. At least he was honest and really, I was honest with myself," she shrugged and looked at her two friends.

"That still doesn't answer the question though," the geeky boy smiled, hoping to catch the golden girl in a lie.

"I'm taking time to work on other things in my life right now. I don't want or need a boyfriend at the moment, but just because I'm not dating doesn't mean I'm suddenly gay. B and S are my friends and I support them but I have enough drama in my life right now," the blonde girl rolled her eyes and crossed her arms. "You can go away now," she huffed, pushing the microphone away.

Santana gave Quinn a sideways glance at her final comment, but decided to keep her comments to herself. She filed away the information for a later time when she didn't have a camera analyzing her every move and a microphone in her face.

"What about you ladies? Are you worried that now without the white and red uniforms to protect you, you'll be dropped down the social ladder to the land of slushie-dom? After all, the Glee club lost yet again," Jacob turned to the Latina and her counterpart.

"Shut your face, Jewfro. If you don't want to see the bottom of a dumpster you'll go crawl back into whatever dark, dank hole you came from," Santana sneered at the boy, tensing her shoulders.

"I don't really like ladders. They're like stairs but confusing," Brittany frowned and looked at her girlfriend. "I thought you said we would only be wearing uniforms on special occasions," the tall blonde furrowed her brow.

"B, that was supposed to be private, remember?" the brunette stiffened and then turned to glare at the boy journalist. "Are you still here, loser? If you don't get out of my face in the next three seconds, my fist and your face are going to get acquainted," she growled out, standing from her perch against the lockers and curling her fingers.

Jacob made a hasty retreat, deciding to lose a battle in order to win the overarching war. On his way through the crowds he managed to run into Puck who simply stated, "My pool cleaning business was in full swing this summer and I take pride in completing the job." When he saw Tina and Mike together, they were in their own Asian bubble and walked right by him when he tried to question them. Sam, Kurt, and Mercedes were on their way to class when the Jewish boy stepped in front of them and started his interview.

"How does it feel to be back at McKinley getting regular slushies and being at the bottom of the totem pole?" he asked the fashionable boy in front of him.

"While Dalton had a no tolerance policy on bullying, it also had a very rigid social structure. There was no bending for ideas or flair for the extraordinary. While bullies left me alone, my voice was never heard. Here I have friends who will listen and a place where I feel I can be myself. I can speak my mind without repercussion and my ideas are heard and sometimes implemented. I feel like I'm a part of something," Kurt shrugged and flicked his bangs aside with one hand.

"Aren't you worried about Karofsky and his torment? Your reputation hasn't increased any since last year," the boy with the wild hair stated.

"Dave Karofsky is a Neanderthal with an IQ lower than an insect. I have my friends in Glee who are willing to help me out and life isn't always about what's safe. Sometimes doing what's best for you doesn't include what's safest. I trust my friends," the flamboyant boy shrugged and looked to Sam.

"We got your back, Kurt," he gave the smaller boy a smirk and a light punch on the arm.

"You know it," Mercedes smiled at her best friend, giving him a special handshake that consisted of the two divas wiggling their fingers.

"What about you, Sam? You're no longer dating the head cheerleader or any cheerleader for that matter. Are you looking to get back into Quinn's good graces?" Jacob prodded the football player.

"Quinn, Santana, and I are friends now. We all know the mistakes we made last year and I'm happy we all came out of it in one piece. We've stayed friends, but I don't plan on dating her again. I understand her need for space and I'm in no rush to start dating again. When I do, I'll definitely want it to be for the right reasons," Sam nodded and then looked to his companions. "Come on, we better get to class."

The three Glee members left the other teen standing in the hallway, still lacking any worthwhile gossip to use for his next scandal. He saw Artie wheel by, but the other boy wouldn't have any good news since he had broken up with Brittany last year and he stood no chance against the fiery Latina. At the point of giving up, Jacob saw a commotion happening in the hallway. Some girl was manhandling Azimio Adams like he was some five foot nothing child rather than a six foot something, two hundred pound linebacker. Once the pair broke up and the crowd began to disperse, Jacob took off after the redheaded girl.

He had no idea who she was, but this had to be the juiciest story McKinley would see in a long time. The new girl had to be about five feet six inches tall and she had a pretty face. Her blue eyes held a tint of green and shone with a sense of mirth. An eyebrow ring adorned her left brow with small multi-colored spikes. Her long hair was straight with a slight wave and she looked to have spiked out her bangs to go along with the rest of her punkish attire. A black, unzipped sweater with some band Jacob didn't recognize was slung over a grey baby tee with some camouflage pattern. Her khaki Dickies fitted with a star-shaped belt buckle bunched up around her Vans skater shoes. A chain attached to her wallet completed the ensemble.

The girl looked to be part of some underground punk band and Jacob was intrigued. He stepped up to the girl with his microphone to introduce himself. "Hello, sexy lady. My name is Jacob Ben Israel, resident blogger and stud of McKinley High. I couldn't help but notice that you're a new face around here and after seeing what you did to that football jock; I'm extremely interested to know your story. Perhaps over dinner this evening?" he wiggled his eyebrows at the end for effect.

"I don't even know you, so no to the dinner. As for my name, it's Aeryn Campbell and I don't really have a story. I didn't like the way he mistreated that other girl and it looked like no one else was willing to do anything about it," Aeryn gave the boy a strange look, but let him ask his questions.

"You mean Rachel Berry? She gets slushied quite often, sometimes even twice a day. It's better than being tossed in the dumpster. It was very noble of you to attempt to stop the jocks on your first day here. I'd watch your back though," the afro-haired boy smiled at her.

"Her name is Rachel Berry, huh," the redhead looked to be contemplating something before turning back to Jacob. "That behavior won't be happening around here anymore. It takes one person to make a stand in order for things to begin to change. I've seen people make fun of each other and tease, but I've never seen physical violence before. This is one messed up school. Don't worry though; I know how to handle myself. I'd better get going. Don't want to be late to my first class," she gave the boy a smile and dashed off to her first period.

"Well, you heard it here first folks! Apparently, bullying will be making a departure here at McKinley High thanks to new student Aeryn Campbell. If she can handle all of the jock and cheerleaders as easily as she did with Azimio, I have no doubt that a change in social structure may be soon to come this year. I'll keep you updated on all of the latest news as it comes in," Jacob nodded to the cameraman and dropped the microphone to his side, heading off to the AV room to edit the footage for his blog later that evening.

* * *

Everyone was ready and waiting as Mr. Schuester walked into the choir room for the year's first Glee club meeting. They sat patiently, some more interested than others. Rachel looked around at her fellow teammates with a smile. Though they tried to look uninterested, she knew how much the club meant to all of them and how close they had grown as a team despite all of their individual dramas. She felt that this year was the year they would shine. The previous two years were like test runs for their real debut as a cohesive group. She was already excited for the year to come and focused on listening to Mr. Schuester intently for their first assignment.

"Well, everyone, I trust your summer was a good one," the teacher looked at all of his students and smiled. They had certainly come a long way from the five students they were at the beginning. "It's great to be back and coming off of a second place win at Nationals last year! I know you were all hoping to take the title, but just think of how far we've come since our first meeting two years ago," he looked around at all of the kids in the room.

"I agree, Mr. Schue. While second place was not ideal, it still proves that we have what it takes as a club and I know that we can take first this year. That is why I have prepared this-," Rachel stood up and moved to the center of the room, addressing her fellow Glee club members.

"Rachel, while I thank you for your enthusiasm to jump in headfirst I have a few other things I'd like to address before we get started," he placed a hand lightly on her shoulder and motioned for the girl to sit down. "While we're back to twelve members now that Kurt is back at McKinley, you guys will all be graduating at the end of this year. We need to bring in some junior members to the club in order for things to continue to run smoothly once you all leave. We need to train the future generations and show them what Glee club is all about in order to continue this amazing group you all have cultivated during your time here," Mr. Schuester took in the faces of each of his students with pride.

"So the first assignment we have as a club is the Welcome assembly Principal Figgins is holding this Friday for the new students of the school. If we put on a good performance, hopefully we can draw some new faces into the club and be a true contending force at Nationals. This year Nationals are in San Diego. I have no doubt you can take first prize, but it would be nice to do that knowing you leave behind a club that can continue your hard work," he smiled and grabbed the sheet music that was stacked on the piano behind him.

The curly haired teacher began to hand out the music to his students. "I think Rachel and Mercedes can take this one. Mike and Brittany, I think you've shown us all how capable you are at creating some amazing choreography. I'm sure you'll be able to come up with something great!"

"We got this, Mr. Schue," Mercedes smiled as she looked at the song in front of her. "Rachel and I shouldn't have a problem owning this song."

Rachel nodded to Mercedes and smiled at the others, finally giving Finn a bright beaming grin. "Fame" from the musical of the same name was a perfect song to start off the year for New Directions. If they used the updated, upbeat version from the recent movie it would surely draw the attention of a plethora of students who might be interested in performing. She looked up to Mercedes to start working on ideas for the song and noticed Quinn was staring into space. The other girl didn't seem to be paying attention to any of the hustle and bustle around her.

The brunette knew that Quinn and her had never been close or really even friends for that matter, but they had become closer after everything that had happened last year. After Quinn had ended things with Sam, and Finn had come to her to try to rekindle what they had in sophomore year only to have that fall apart, Rachel had sort of bonded with the blonde over their previous failed relationships. There was no longer any animosity between the two of them, they just didn't fall into the same social circles. Quinn would occasionally acknowledge her, but they had never had a really deep conversation. Seeing the blonde so quiet and lost in thought made Rachel want to extend her offer of friendship and an ear to listen again.

As the smaller girl stood up to follow that train of thought, Mercedes dragging her over to the piano to work on the vocals for the number quickly diverted her. With one quick glance back at the demure blonde, she turned to the girl in front of her and began going through ideas for the assembly. Perhaps it was best she left Quinn to her own thoughts. After all, their new acquaintanceship was still on shaky ground and she really didn't want to go back to the insults and enmity that had previously been the basis for their relationship.

* * *

Quinn had taken the music and tuned out the rest of the meeting. Jacob's questions had bothered her more than she wanted to admit. She had spent the end of the school year and the entire summer trying to better understand who she was and why all of her relationships in her life had failed. She disgusted her father and though she no longer held him on a pedestal, she still wondered what had been so horrible about her that her own father couldn't forgive her and love her. Her mother was getting better, but they would never be close. Judy Fabray had spent sixteen years allowing her husband to do the parenting, content to get lost in an alcoholic haze when she disagreed rather than to stand against her husband. Although the eldest Fabray woman was now trying her best to mend the bridges that she had burned, it was going to be a long and arduous process before they had a strong mother-daughter relationship.

Had all of her relationships failed because of her? Was she the catalyst in the equation? It had been her fault that her relationship with Finn had failed so miserably, but in all honesty her interest had never been in the tall quarterback in the first place. Their newest foray into dating had been doomed from the start. The blonde had been fresh off of a break up with Sam and Finn was angry and hurt by Rachel's indiscretion with Puck. They were both looking for comfort and they fell back on old feelings. It was nice for a while, but they both realized that they didn't really feel as strongly for each other as they had back in sophomore year. As for Puck, Quinn realized his bad boy image is what first attracted her, but he was too immature to ever have a truly fruitful relationship with despite all of his promises to be a better man.

Then there was Sam, who was a sweet guy in his own right, but they were destined to fall apart. Both of them had sought solace in each other during their time of need. She had been freshly accepted back as head cheerleader and he was the new guy at school who was looking to fit in and gain some popularity. It worked for them both for quite a while and it had been fun, but they had both known it wasn't real. They had both entered into a relationship for superficial reasons and it hadn't been a surprise when superficiality broke down and everything fell to pieces. Thankfully, she and Sam had been able to repair their relationship enough to stay friends and she was content with that now.

Looking back at everything though, it really seemed as though her decisions (or lack thereof) had been what caused most of the problems in all of the relationships in her life. Quinn sighed and looked around realizing that the club had broken into groups to work on the number. She caught a quick glance that Rachel had given her before the diva was pulled away by Mercedes to work on the song. It made her curious, but she quickly brushed the thought aside and stood to go join Brittany, Mike, and Santana working on the dance.

Now that was a relationship she was still confused about. Her and the brunette had slowly been warming up to each other, but it had been a long and dramatic process. Quinn didn't really even know why she had disliked the other girl so much in the first place; well, no, that wasn't true. She knew why. It was a topic she would have to revisit another time though. Brittany was forcing her to work on some tough choreography and giving her direction. She couldn't focus on the two things at once. At least she was getting somewhere. Baby steps.

* * *

The assembly was packed and the entire gymnasium was filled to the brim with students from every grade. Aeryn had taken a seat with her class before scanning the gym for the brunette she had helped out earlier that week. She was unable to spot the other girl, but she managed to see that strange Jacob boy across the gym, camcorder in hand. She also spotted the football player she had subdued sitting with his friends, all giving her withering glares. Rolling her eyes, the redhead turned her attention to the stage set up in the center of the gym. A band was setting up instruments just off to the right-hand side. It seemed as though the assembly would open with a musical number to wake up the audience before the announcements got underway.

Principal Figgins stepped up onto the stage and stood in front of the lone microphone. "Welcome students of McKinley High both new and old. This is our first assembly of the year to help integrate our newest additions to the student body with minimal problems. To kick things off please give a warm welcome to McKinley High's Glee club, fresh from their second place win at Nationals last year. New Directions!" he finished his short speech and pulled the microphone with him as he moved off of the stage.

The lights dimmed and the curtains around the stage were opened to reveal students in various poses waiting for the music to start.

_Remember, remember_

As the vocals began in harmony, spotlights opened up one by one on each of the twelve Glee club members, springing them into action. They moved fluidly around the stage as the intro continued until the beat for the first verse hit and Rachel Berry came to the forefront to sing her part.

_Baby look at me and tell me what you see.  
You ain't seen the best of me yet,  
Give me time, I'll make you forget the rest._

She hit the notes flawlessly moving around in front of her fellow teammates as Mike danced next to her, showcasing his pop and lock skills. Mercedes then crossed in front of the brunette to take on the next section of the verse.

_I got more of me, and you can set it free,  
I can catch the moon in my hand,  
Don't you know who I am?  
Remember my name!_

Each of the members of the club moved in sync creating a fun and engaging performance as the student body began to move along to the music. When the first chorus hit, a flash of light spread across the stage in time with the music as the group danced in tandem with each other.

_FAME!  
I'm gonna live forever,  
I'm gonna learn how to fly  
HIGH!  
I feel it comin' together,  
People will see me and cry  
FAME!  
I'm gonna make it to heaven,  
Light up the sky like a flame.  
FAME!  
I'm gonna live forever,  
Baby remember my name._

Brittany and Mike took center stage for the main choreography, flanked by Quinn and Santana to lead the rest of the group in the movements for the dance. Some of the students began to clap along and cheer for the performers.

_Remember, remember_

Mercedes stepped out again to begin belting out the second verse as though she owned the stage. Anyone watching could see the natural stage presence the girl possessed and the confidence she exuded as she sang her part.

_Baby hold me tight  
'Cause you can make it right  
You can shoot me straight to the top  
Give me love and take all I've got to give_

The tiny brunette stepped up again and just seemed to command the eyes of the audience as she flowed into the next set of lyrics. Her voice was well suited to the stage and she looked monumentally different from the girl slushied earlier in the week as the music carried across the gym.

_Baby I'll return,  
Too much is not enough,  
I can ride your heart 'til it breaks,  
Ooh, I've got what it takes.  
Remember my name._

_FAME!  
I'm gonna live forever,  
I'm gonna learn how to fly  
HIGH!  
I feel it comin' together,  
People will see me and cry  
FAME!  
I'm gonna make it to heaven,  
Light up the sky like a flame.  
FAME!  
I'm gonna live forever,  
Baby remember my name._

Launching into the second chorus the group picked back up with the main choreography with the strongest dancers in front. As the bridge hit, both Brittany and Mike stepped out in front to perform an intricate dance number while the others in the background performed a simpler set of moves with Mercedes covering the main vocals. As the bridge came to a close, the girl belted out the note leading them into the final chorus.

_Remember, remember  
Remember my name_

_FAME!  
I'm gonna live forever,  
I'm gonna learn how to fly  
HIGH!  
I feel it comin' together,  
People will see me and cry  
FAME!  
I'm gonna make it to heaven,  
Light up the sky like a flame.  
FAME!  
I'm gonna live forever,  
Baby remember my name._

Rachel stepped out in front for the last two lines to end the song. She finished the song and with a flick of her hair giving some attitude to the performance turned around and walked off the stage along with the rest of her cohorts.

_Remember my name...  
Remember my name..._

The club was on a high from their performance as they exited the stage. They had all seen the reaction the school had to their number and there was excitement running through the group. Mike was grooving to his own beat with a smile, Santana and Brittany were exchanging smoldering looks with each other, and Finn, Puck, and Sam were giving each other high fives. Mercedes, Tina, and Kurt were gossiping to each other about the performance with Mercedes trying to play it cool. Quinn and Rachel were so happy about the way things had gone they really didn't notice they had left the stage hand in hand. It was only when they hugged and realized exactly who they were hugging did they jump apart like a jolt of electricity had ripped through them.

"G-good job, Berry. You managed to stay on key the whole song," Quinn managed to cover up her nerves with a smartass comment before walking away from the brunette in shock. 'What the _hell_ was I doing?'

"Thanks, Quinn," Rachel offered quietly, wondering what had just happened between her and the ex-head cheerleader. 'Where did that come from?'

* * *

Mr. Schuester took to the stage after the applause died down. "Our Glee club is looking for new members to join up. If you enjoyed what you saw and would like to be a part of our team, we're holding auditions in the auditorium next Tuesday after school. I hope to see some of your faces there!" the Glee advisor finished enthusiastically before handing the microphone back to Principal Figgins and exiting the stage.

Aeryn tuned out during most of the assembly, too busy thinking about the brunette girl. She had an amazing voice and looked so natural on that stage which made the redhead wonder why she was so mercilessly bullied. Maybe she should join the Glee club to get to know the enigma that was Rachel Berry. She was supposed to be keeping a low profile and simply making it through the year, but something about the girl made her curious. It had been a while since she'd pulled out her guitar and sung anything, but she figured there was no time like the present to attempt an audition. Going up against the talent they already seemed to have in the club would be tough, but it couldn't hurt to at least try. Even if she didn't make it in, maybe she'd at least get to know the tiny singer.

The assembly finished just as she broke out of her reverie and she began to file out of the gymnasium with the rest of the students. Aeryn was busy trying to think of what song she should audition for the Glee club with and didn't see the blue and yellow track suit in front of her until they collided, knocking each other to opposite sides of the hallway. When she looked up from her daze, the first thing she noticed was that she had run into a teacher. The next thing she noticed was the look of unbridled rage overtaking the other woman's face.

"I'm so sorry about that! I wasn't watching where I was going and I was kind of off in my own world there. Are you all right?" Aeryn gave the other woman a look of surprise and was truly apologetic for what happened. It looked like they were both unscathed.

"You're damn right you're sorry, maggot! Do you even know who I am? I haven't seen your disgusting face around here before so that must mean you're a new transfer," Sue Sylvester righted herself and gave the teen a glare. "I should have you hauled off to Figgins for him to put you through manual labor for your invasion of my personal space. I think I might have the germs of mediocrity all over me now."

"What? Are you serious? Do you actually teach here because the garbage coming out of your mouth is unbelievable? Do they actually let you speak to students that way?" the redhead furrowed her brows in confusion and crossed her arms at the older woman's blatant disrespect.

"Watch your mouth, cretin! I'll have you know that I'm Sue Sylvester, coach of the McKinley High Cheerios, the six-time national champion cheerleading team. Not like you'd even know what that means by looking at you. What homeless shelter did you decide to come from?" the coach narrowed her eyes at the punkish girl.

"I'm not going to take this crap-" Aeryn began to fight back against the audacity of the teacher in front of her.

"Never mind. I'm bored already. Just make sure you stay out of my way next time. I dislike having to disinfect myself of the stench of failure I can smell coming off of you in waves," Sue turned on her heel and continued off down the hallway without a backwards glance, completely ignoring the girl she'd yelled at.

"This school is fucked up," Aeryn sighed and shook her head, making her way to her next class and wondering what other surprises were in store for her at her new high school.

* * *

Rachel stalked toward the choir room. The weekend had been pretty uneventful, but the diva was eager to see how the Glee club auditions would turn out after their lively performance on Friday. She had walked by the sign up sheet and was pleasantly surprised to see quite a few names on the list. Real names. However, not one to sit idly by and allow her vocal ability to diminish, the brunette was going to use her free period to practice. She wasn't sure if she'd have to get up and demonstrate a solo in front of the students trying out the next day and she was never one to be unprepared for any possible situation.

As she got closer to the room, a faint acoustic melody could be heard seeping from behind the closed door. Rachel furrowed her brow wondering who would be using the practice room at this time. As far as she was aware, nobody but her took the extra time to practice unless Mr. Schuester had assigned them a song or project and the jazz band rarely used the room during class time. It was when the vocals picked up that the small girl was taken aback. A female voice lilted through a song that'd she new fairly well.

_Of all the things I believe in  
I just want to get it over with  
tears from behind my eyes  
but I do not cry  
Counting the days that past me by_

She stepped up to the door and silently looked through the window into the choir room. Another girl was sitting on a stool with an acoustic guitar strapped over her shoulder, playing a light melody. Rachel had never seen the girl before and she puzzled out that the guitar player was a new student. The other girl continued the song looking up but not really seeing, engrossed in the music.

_I've been searching deep down in my soul  
Words that I'm hearing are starting to get old  
Looks like I'm starting all over again  
The last three years were just pretend and I say _

The brunette could hear the emotion behind the words and wondered what the girl was singing about. The girl had a nice voice, a bit rougher than her own but clearly practiced. She noticed the redhead's attire to be quite casual: jeans and a button up shirt with the cuffs hanging loose. A tie, chain, and fedora accessorized to complete the ensemble.

_Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I love  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to_

The brunette quietly opened the door without being noticed so that she could hear more of the melody, unhindered by the filter of the door. It was quite beautiful and Rachel new that she'd have a run for her money in the solo department if the other girl was going to be one of the people auditioning for the club.

_Oh yeah  
It hurts to want everything & nothing at the same time  
I want what's yours and I want what's mine  
I want you but I'm not giving in this time_

The girl's eyes were closed now and Rachel moved into the room unnoticed. She could see by the redhead's guitar playing that the girl was well practiced in the instrument. In her head, the tiny diva was weighing the pros and cons of allowing this new student into the club.

_Goodbye to you  
Goodbye to everything I thought I knew  
You were the one I loved  
The one thing that I tried to hold on to _

The tiny diva knew that the song was coming to a close and decided to let the new girl finish before making her presence known. After all, she knew how unsatisfying it was to be interrupted in the middle of a performance. It had happened to her a countless number of times.

_And when the stars fall  
I will lie awake  
You're my shooting star _

Rachel clapped lightly as the final chord echoed throughout the room. The girl's head shot up towards her and she offered a bright smile before making her way over to the piano.

"Michelle Branch. It's an interesting choice, but you performed it quite well," she placed her sheet music on top of the piano, turning towards the girl.

"Thanks, I guess. I didn't know the room was booked. I just came in here to fool around with my guitar. Sorry if I took your practice time away from you," Aeryn began packing away her guitar.

"It's quite all right. I just like to practice during my free period because it keeps my vocals in immaculate condition should any situation arise where I am required to showcase my talent. Are you planning on auditioning for Glee club? I have not seen you before and therefore I assume you are a new student to McKinley. I warn you that Glee does not have the best of reputations," the brunette tried to politely warn the other girl away from Glee. She didn't want another incident like what happened with Sunshine the previous year.

"You sure like to talk a lot," the redhead chuckled lightly. "I heard you sing. You were really good. I guess it's from all of the practicing you do, but it also looks like you're pretty naturally talented in that area. I'm not sure if I'll audition. I saw what happened to you in the hallway the other day. It surprised me, actually. I'm new here and I've never seen behavior like that before. Aeryn Campbell, by the way," she stuffed her hands into her pockets, giving the smaller girl a shrug and a half-smirk.

"Well, it's nice to meet you, Aeryn. I'm Rachel Berry, captain of the Glee club and what you saw last week was a regular occurrence for those of us in New Directions," the diva failed to mention she was normally the only target. A little white lie wouldn't hurt to keep the other girl from joining.

"I'm not sure I'd want to deal with that every day. Shouldn't you be encouraging me to join? Your advisor seemed eager to get new people to join up," Aeryn raised an eyebrow at the other girl.

Rachel noticed the look and realized it reminded her of Quinn before shaking the thought free from her mind. "I have been in the club since sophomore year and I already know what to expect. I just like to make new students aware of the choice their making before they have to deal with the slushies firsthand," the brunette shrugged and turned back to her sheet music.

Aeryn was a little confused by the other girl's dismissive behavior, but she pretended not to notice. "Well, I'll let you get to it then. Thanks for the advice, Rachel," the redhead nodded and picked up her guitar, striding out of the room.

The small girl watched her leave hoping she had planted enough of a seed to ward the other girl off of joining the club.

* * *

Finn was excited about the Glee club auditions. He and Artie had asked Coach Beiste if it would be all right to place sign up sheets in the boys' locker room. While Karofsky and Azimio were still dead set against the club, their second place victory the previous year had displayed to the student body that it was fun and they weren't losers. Most of the slushy facials had stopped except for the few thrown by the guys who worshipped the two other football players and some of the Cheerios who thought that they could take the places of Quinn and Santana. The tall, lanky quarterback had been happy to see real names signed on the sheet and he figured it would increase the team spirit on both the football team and in Glee. He grabbed the sheet after practice and turned to Artie.

"Isn't this great, Artie? We actually have people who want to be in Glee this year. Rach told me she wouldn't go all crazy on them either like she did to Sunshine last year," he gave the boy in the wheelchair a goofy, half-smile.

"Well, that is good news. We'll actually be able to keep people on the team this year if they are good rather than having them defect to Carmel High," Artie smiled as Finn naturally grabbed a hold of his wheelchair leading him out of the room.

"Maybe we'll even get some more dancers! Carmel has really good choreography, but with Mike, Brittany, Quinn, Santana, and a few new people we could probably match them at that stuff. I think this year is starting off pretty great. Rach and I are happy again, we've got some good new players on the football team, and now more people joining Glee club," Finn sounded like a kid in a candy store as he wheeled the other boy down the hall towards the auditorium.

"Well, I guess things are going well. Even though Brittany and I broke up last year, she really does seem happy with Santana. Besides, if we have this many people auditioning from football, just think of the female prospects that have signed up," the boy in the wheelchair felt his friends infectious excitement catch on.

"Well, I don't need anybody but Rachel, but it will be nice to meet new people and to know that Glee will continue even when we graduate," the tall boy opened the door to the auditorium, letting Artie wheel himself inside.

The rest of the Glee club had already arrived along with their advisor. Puck and Mike rushed up the steps to help Finn lift the other boy down to the front of the stage. As they got to the bottom, their teacher welcomed them all with a smile. They really had become quite the team over the past two years together. Despite all of their ups and downs, they'd grown as separate people and together as a group. It would be nice to welcome new members into the family and show them what it meant to be a part of the Glee club.

"Well, we just have to wait for people to show up but I think I would like someone to get up and break the ice. Maybe perform something with a bit of flair to show people what we do and how much fun we have even when we aren't giving a formal performance. Does anyone have anything off the cuff?" Mr. Schuester looked around to the group, hoping that at least Rachel would have prepared something.

"Actually Mr. Schue, Mike and I worked on something last year and we never really had a chance to perform it. I think it would be a good chance for us to show that Glee is about singing, but we also have great dancing," Artie looked to his Asian friend to see if he was all right with the idea.

"We can do this, Mr. Schuester," Mike nodded and gave the boy in the wheelchair a fist bump, getting the others to help him move his friend to the stage.

"Well, all right then. I think we're all set. We just need to wait for the students to signed up to get here and we can begin. You two can arrange what you need to with the band and the rest of us can have a seat," the teacher smiled and moved to sit behind his director's desk, where he would determine who passed the auditions.

Normally, the Glee advisor let everyone who wanted to join be a part of Glee, but this year they had quite a few people looking to audition and unfortunately there was a cutoff to how many members the club could support, even with the increased budget they had been given. He began setting up his paper to make notes on the students who performed and heard the auditorium doors open. Students began filling in and moving down towards the stage to sit and wait their turn to audition.

Aeryn quietly filed in with the rest, but she took a seat at the very back of the auditorium to observe the process. She was still torn about whether to join the club or just drift through her final year like she had initially planned. Standing front and center on a stage wasn't exactly the best way to remain inconspicuous, but she'd always been musically inclined and hearing the group perform the week before had peaked her curiosity.

As the students settled, Mr. Schuester leaned into the microphone to address the potential new members of New Directions. "Hello, everyone! I'm Mr. Schuester, resident advisor and director of New Directions our McKinley High Glee club. Thank you all for showing up and trying out. I hope each of you has a song in mind and sheet music to give our accompanist to back you up. Before we start though, I figured we'd break the ice a little and show you what our club does when we aren't performing in front of a large audience," he smiled as Mike and Artie set themselves up properly on the stage.

"Most weeks, I try to give the club an assignment to help them perform better as a team when we do show up at Sectionals or Regionals. These performances are informal and generally turn out to be a lot of fun. Most of the time we all join in and sing or dance along. I hope this number that Artie and Mike have prepared help you to do the same and just unwind. Take it away, boys," the advisor turned of the microphone and let the two boys get ready to begin their number.

The music began and a familiar melody poured out from the instruments of the Jazz band. The members of the Glee club began to cheer and stood up to dance to the beat as Artie started in with the first verse, Mike dancing around him showing his prowess at his art.

_She was more like a beauty queen from a movie scene  
I said don't mind, but what do you mean I am the one  
Who will dance on the floor in the round  
She said I am the one, who will dance on the floor in the round _

The two boys moved across the stage in tandem, the lighting crew following each of them with a spotlight. Some of the choreography was performed together and some apart, but all of the students were moving along to the song they knew so well.

_She told me her name was Billie Jean, as she caused a scene  
Then every head turned with eyes that dreamed of being the one  
Who will dance on the floor in the round _

The students auditioning began to intermingle with the Glee group dancing and clapping to the music. Mr. Schuester smiled, as the song seemed to relieve a good portion of the tension that previously filled the auditorium.

_People always told me be careful of what you do  
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts  
And mother always told me be careful of who you love  
And be careful of what you do 'cause the lie becomes the truth _

As Mike danced across the stage he jumped out in front and held out a hand to Brittany, asking her up on the stage. The two expert dancers moved to the beat while the boy in the wheelchair belted out the lyrics. As the chorus hit, everyone in Glee joined in to create a harmony surprising the other students.

_Billie Jean is not my lover  
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one  
But the kid is not my son  
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son _

Everyone was really getting into the music. Aeryn grinned at how free the entire group of students seemed below. It was as if the music allowed them all to forget the chains of the social hierarchy that chained them down and just allowed the song to bring them together. She had seen how wary some of the students had been when they first stepped foot into the auditorium to audition, but now it was as if a giant weight had been lifted from their shoulders.

_For forty days and for forty nights  
The law was on her side  
But who can stand when she's in demand  
Her schemes and plans  
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round  
So take my strong advice, just remember to always think twice  
(Do think twice) _

The song continued as more of the members of New Directions took to the stage dancing with their fellow teammates. They began to make choreography on the fly using Brittany and Mike as their guides.

_She told my baby we'd danced till three, then she looked at me  
Then showed a photo my baby cried his eyes were like mine (oh, no!)  
'Cause we danced on the floor in the round, baby _

The second bridge was about to hit and the Glee team began to pull the other students on stage to show them the dance and encourage them to have fun. Mr. Schuester was proud of how the kids had grown. They were now showing their willingness to accept new members and their ability to work as a team.

_People always told me be careful of what you do  
And don't go around breaking young girls' hearts  
She came and stood right by me  
Then the smell of sweet perfume  
This happened much too soon  
She called me to her room _

As the second chorus began, all of the students joined in with the harmony and the choreography and it was surprising how good the song sounded. They all looked like they were having a blast dancing and singing to the music.

_Billie Jean is not my lover  
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one  
But the kid is not my son _

Sam stepped out to do his Michael Jackson impression and Mike began to pop and lock to the music while Brittany did some improvisational pop dance moves giving the performance a bit more flair.

_Billie Jean is not my lover  
She's just a girl who claims that I am the one  
But the kid is not my son  
She says I am the one, but the kid is not my son _

The song began to wind down as Artie sang the ending notes. All of the students moved up to the front of the stage, finalizing the number.

_Billie Jean is not my lover  
Billie Jean is not my lover  
Billie Jean is not my lover  
Billie Jean is not my lover  
Billie Jean is not my lover _

Everyone clapped and laughed as the song ended, congratulating Artie and Mike for their performance. Mr. Schuester had given them a standing ovation, happy at the group cohesiveness and acceptance of the new students.

"That was amazing you guys! It looks like you were able to help loosen up our potential new members to the group as well," he nodded and smiled at the members of New Directions. "Now you all know how most of our Glee meetings turn out. We try to have as much fun as possible while still being serious about creating proper set lists for our competitions. I can't wait to hear your auditions because from what I saw up on that stage, you all have talent!"

The students began to file off of the stage and back down to their seats in front. Brad, the piano player, nodded at the Glee advisor that he was ready to perform when needed.

"Well, I guess we should get started with the auditions then," the teacher looked down at the list of names he had and began calling out the first to see who would be the newest members of New Directions.

* * *

At the end of the audition, Mr. Schuester had thanked all of the students who had auditioned for the part and told them that the results would be posted in the next few days. The students grabbed their things and thanked the teacher before climbing the steps to leave the auditorium. Once the last student passed, Aeryn stood up. She hadn't auditioned. She figured it would just derail her original plans and Rachel had really seemed like she hadn't wanted her there.

Before she stepped out of the aisle, her eyes locked with one of the two blonde females of New Directions. They held each other's gaze for a moment. Aeryn could see the furrow of the girl's brow and her puzzled expression when she spied the guitar slung over the redhead's shoulder. The lone girl simply gave a shrug and disconnected her gaze only to land on another set of eyes. Those of the Glee captain herself, Rachel Berry. The brunette seemed to flash through a myriad of emotions before settling on guilt. Aeryn softened her gaze before she turned to leave the room with no one the wiser.

Quinn was puzzled at the girl at the top row of the auditorium. She had definitely not seen her audition with the rest of the students and she had a guitar with her. If she had wanted to audition, why had the girl not come and joined the rest of the group? They had locked eyes for a moment and the blonde had felt a connection to the new girl, like there was something hidden for reasons she couldn't quite comprehend. It intrigued her and she wanted to find out more, but the girl had broken their eye contact before she could read anymore into it.

Quinn had seen her stare at someone else below and turned her vision towards the other members of New Directions to spy the culprit. It only took her a second to see Rachel staring up towards the top seats in the room. The taller girl also noticed the brief look of guilt marring her features as the brunette bit her lower lip. The blonde wanted to console her and at the same time berate her. She new the look Rachel was wearing. It was the same one the she had bore when the whole Sunshine fiasco had taken place the previous year.

The fiery blonde marched over to the club captain once the girl had left the room. "We need to talk…now!" she hissed under her breath, grabbing Rachel's arm lightly and beginning to drag her out of the room.

"Quinn, what-" Rachel huffed indignantly, surprised by the blonde's actions and a little worried by her tone of voice.

"Mr. Schue, I need to talk to Rachel for a moment and since the auditions are over I figured this would be the perfect time," the taller girl smiled sweetly at her advisor.

"All right, Quinn. I guess we can all get together as a group tomorrow to discuss the auditions. It's been a long day," the teacher nodded with a slightly perplexed look.

"Thanks, Mr. Schue!" Quinn turned and dragged the diva up the steps and whispered, "Let's go, Berry!"

Finn saw his girlfriend's look of confusion and slight panic and he was about to go after her until he saw Quinn's angry glare. He stopped himself, not wanting to get caught up in any business between the two girls. Quinn could be scary when she was angry. Besides, she hadn't really been mean to Rachel since last year after the whole 'love square' that went on between them all. He'd give them a few minutes to talk before he went to his girlfriend to take her home for the day.

Rachel was dragged to the girls' bathroom before Quinn spun her around and crossed her arms giving her a very angry glare. "I really do not know why you insisted on dragging me out of the auditorium like some scolded animal, Quinn. Is there a reason you went from happy to whatever this is in three-point-two seconds?" she sniffed and crossed her own arms.

"I think you know exactly why I dragged you in here. Just to give you the benefit of the doubt though, why did the girl with the guitar leave without auditioning?" the blonde raised an eyebrow in challenge.

"I-I have no idea what you are insinuating! I do not make it a priority to greet every new student at this school and know their business," Rachel huffed, nervously stumbling for words.

"No, you just make it a point to know the students who might be interested in Glee, especially the ones who might threaten your position. I saw you look at her and I know that look," Quinn narrowed her eyes at the girl in front of her.

"I may have spoken to her earlier about what Glee club entails. I assume she simply did not wish to put in the effort required," the diva placed her hands on her hips. "I don't see why I have to justify myself to you."

"I'm not your dopey boyfriend, Berry. I know you told her something to make her not want to try out. You reek of guilt and I'm not going to just let you sabotage the club again," the taller girl was beginning to get infuriated with the brunette. She really tried to be friends with Rachel, but sometimes the other girl just made it so damn difficult.

Rachel sighed, knowing she'd been caught and not really looking forward to a massive blowout with Quinn. They had been trying to weave a friendship despite their muddled past and she really didn't want to take another five steps backward at this point.

"Fine, I may have told her that we tend to get slushied and ridiculed quite often and it is not something a new student would wish upon themselves," the smaller girl turned her head to look at the wall.

"But we don't really have that happen to us. Well, I guess you still do," the blonde gave the tiny singer a weird look.

"Well, she doesn't know the exact details of our ridicule. What does it matter now anyways? Plenty of other students auditioned," Rachel gave the girl a pointed glare.

"It matters because you'd only do that if she was good. You heard her sing didn't you?" Quinn asked, trying to resolve the details. She softened her gaze and dropped her arms with a sigh, "Look, Rachel, you have to know that no matter who we accept you'll always be our star. You just have this presence that demands attention when you're on stage and you open your mouth to sing. I'll deny it if you ever tell anyone I said this, but you're what makes New Directions special and everyone knows it."

The diva's eyes widened at the confession and she wondered what exactly was going on in the former cheerleader's head. The other girl had sounded completely sincere even with the veiled comment about denying her declaration. Quinn was puzzling her more and more these days and she really wanted to try to dig deeper to understand the complex girl in front of her; however, their tempers always seemed to get the best of them and they found themselves in situations not unlike the present.

The blonde bit her lip at the confession. She wasn't even sure where it had come from. She'd never really thought about it before, but now that it had been voiced she agreed with her sentiment. Glee club wouldn't be the same if Rachel weren't there to boss them around and rouse them to work harder. Seeing the diva all riled up about some song or another was even cute once in a while. Did she just think cute? Shaking herself out of her reverie, she ignored the rest of her thoughts (something she had great aptitude for doing) and got herself back on track.

"That doesn't mean that you can turn away every other potentially good singer that comes along to join though. If you don't want me to tell the entire team what you did, you'll find that girl, apologize, and get her to audition," Quinn loomed over the brunette. "You know I can still make your life a living hell again if I choose," she gave her head-bitch smirk to cement that fact, even though her threats were empty. She no longer wanted to be that girl again, but Rachel needn't know that truth.

Rachel frowned at the taller girl's threat, but she knew it was entirely possible for Quinn, especially with Santana to back her up. After the heartfelt confession, it seemed out of place but the brunette didn't really relish the thought of testing how truthful the intimidation tactic happened to be. The small diva leaned against the sink, trying to think of a way out of this that didn't require her to swallow her pride, but she just couldn't see any other way. With a groan and a grumble, she turned to answer the blonde.

"Fine. I will do what you ask, but I will only ask her once. Don't expect me to beg her to come audition. I put my foot down at begging," she turned her head to Quinn and lifted an eyebrow to see if there was a challenge.

Quinn smiled at the diva fit the argyle-clad girl had thrown before accepting. Her thoughts almost returned to their previous domain before she frowned at herself and cut them off. "That's fine. I have a feeling we'll be seeing her tomorrow in Glee, Berry," she smirked and turned to leave the bathroom. "I'm glad we saw eye to eye. See you tomorrow, Berry."

Rachel watched Quinn exit the bathroom and turned towards the sink to compose her thoughts. If she was going to have to apologize, she needed to prepare herself for the endeavor. She heard the music in her head as she began to sing along.

_Never win first place, I don't support the team  
I can't take direction and my socks are never clean  
Teachers dated me, my parents hated me  
I was always in a fight 'cuz I can't do nothin' right_

She looked at herself in the mirror, scrutinizing her features frowning at what she saw. She was always second-guessing herself and her worth. She was paranoid about someone taking her place in Glee because she felt as if it was the one quality she possessed above the others. If she wasn't the star of New Directions, who was she?

_Everyday I fight a war against the mirror  
I can't take the person starin' back at me  
I'm a hazard to myself_

She turned away from the mirror composed and walked out the door of the bathroom. The brunette spied Finn waiting outside the doors to the auditorium, a goofy grin plastered on his face and his hands stuffed in his pockets. He smiled as she moved closer to him, hoping he'd see through her façade. The tall boy was as oblivious as he always was.

_Don't let me get me  
I'm my own worst enemy  
Its bad when you annoy yourself  
So irritating  
Don't wanna be my friend no more  
I wanna be somebody else  
I wanna be somebody else, yeah  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)  
(Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah)_

Rachel walked with him towards her locker to grab her things before they left the school. Santana, Brittany, and Quinn were standing together and speaking to each other in front of Quinn's locker. Finn gave them a wave and a smile as he passed them and the smaller girl wondered if he'd still be around if someone took her lead spot in Glee. After all, she'd be a social reject with no redeeming qualities if she were no longer a female lead. It wouldn't be like the three ex-cheerleaders who stayed popular even after they quit the squad. They were beautiful and had everything that she didn't.

_L.A. told me, "You'll be a pop star  
All you have to change is everything you are"  
Tired of being compared to damn Britney Spears  
She's so pretty, that just ain't me_

As Rachel closed her locker, she noticed Quinn giving her a look of contemplation. She smiled and nodded to the other girl before turning away. Finn wrapped his arm around her as the strolled out of the front doors of the school. Sometimes it felt like the blonde was the only one who could constantly see through her mask to what she was really feeling or thinking. It unnerved her and yet comforted her at the same time.

_Doctor, doctor won't you please prescribe me somethin'  
A day in the life of someone else  
'Cuz I'm a hazard to myself_

The Glee captain barely noticed the ride to her place. By the time she came back to her thoughts, she was standing in front of her own mirror. She sang into her hairbrush as the music played in the background.

_Don't let me get me  
(Ohh)  
I'm my own worst enemy  
Its bad when you annoy yourself  
So irritating  
(Ohh no)  
Don't wanna be my friend no more  
I wanna be somebody else  
(Yeah)_

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes and reminded herself of whom she was and how she would be on Broadway one day. She had talent and drive and the only person standing in her way was staring back at her in the mirror in front of her.

_Ohh  
I'm a hazard to myself, yeah  
Don't let me get me  
I'm my own worst enemy  
Its bad when you annoy yourself  
(Yourself)  
So irritating  
(So irritating, yeah)  
Don't wanna be my friend no more  
(Don't wanna, don't wanna)  
I wanna be somebody else_

Rachel opened her eyes staring back at herself as the song came to a close. She'd just have to swallow both her pride and her fear and ask Aeryn to audition for the club tomorrow. If the other girl took her place…well, she would cross that bridge if it came. After all, she was Rachel Barbra Berry and she wasn't about to be easily forgotten by her team.


End file.
